Pumpkin and White Bean Soup Recipe

Taken (and slightly adapted) from the New England Soup Factory Cookbook:

Ingredients:
1 big can of pureed pumpkin (or 2.5 pounds fresh pumpkin, cubed and roasted)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tspn black pepper
4 Tblspns. butter
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
10 cups chicken stock
1/2 tspn sage
1/2 tspn nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cannellini beans
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:
Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, onion, celery, and carrots.  Saute for 10 minutes.  Add pumpkin, stock, sage, and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for 35 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar and cheese.  (Optional:  puree the soup in the pot at this point.  I don't puree because I like my soup chunkier.)  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the cannellini beans.  Stir well.  Serve with basil leaves.